


Early Retirement

by windfallswest



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Legends - All Media Types, Star Wars Legends: Hand of Thrawn Duology - Timothy Zahn
Genre: M/M, Old Married Couple, Thrawn Lives, Unexplained Resurrection Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-26
Updated: 2019-07-26
Packaged: 2020-07-20 11:56:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,005
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19991788
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/windfallswest/pseuds/windfallswest
Summary: When Talon Karrde set out to find Jorj Car'das, this is not what he expected to find.





	Early Retirement

**Author's Note:**

> Some AU nonsense that crawled out of my brain spontaneously whilst reading Hand of Thrawn books. I actually wrote most of this, read five more chapters, and then had to re-write half of it. It slots in after Chapter 31 of _Vision of the Future_.

"So why can’t they do this for us now?" Shada asked.

Car'das had moved over to a sideboard and started turning over glasses. Clear crystal and translucent opalescent tiles lined the ceiling, walls, and floor of his conversation room, refracting shifting rays of light in a pale aurora. That made it difficult to gauge the true size or dimensions of the room. Karrde was still struck by the art: paintings, holographs, and statuary. Car'das had brokered such for a discreet and discerning clientele, but Karrde had never known him to collect it for himself. 

"Because I told them you wouldn’t need the ship until morning," he said with a smile. "Come now, indulge an old man’s desire for company, won’t you? I’m sure your crew could use a good night’s rest, too, after all they’ve been through on this trip."

Four. Car'das was filling four glasses with a high-grade aged lum. Who else was he expecting? Perhaps only Entoo Nee. The man seemed primarily a servant, if a senior one; but it was harder to predict Car'das' actions and motivations now than ever.

Car'das glanced up at him, an unreadable glint in his dark eyes. "You may yet leave with more answers than I think you were expecting.

"And you say I have a weakness for drama," a new voice came from off to one side. 

Karrde whipped his head around, blood going cold. He recognised that voice. _No_ , Karrde fumed internally. _He's beat us here!_

A tall figure separated itself from a doorway on the other end of the room. Male, greying black hair, his distinctive blue skin looking almost as dark in this airy chamber. Deep-set eyes bioluminesced redly in stark contrast. 

Grand Admiral Thrawn. 

He paced across the room, with movements as smooth and assured as his voice. Oddly, he was in civilian clothes instead of a uniform, a tunic and trousers of similar cut to those Car'das wore, and as he walked he finished belting a rich shimmersilk robe, burgundy worked in gold. 

Car'das…smiled. Fondly. And handed him the fourth glass. 

Thrawn was wearing _slippers_. 

"My apologies for not being here to greet you. I was obliged to come out of retirement temporarily." Thrawn's eyes rested on them each in turn before returning to Car'das.

As Karrde watched, mind working furiously but generating only static, Thrawn's hand lingered on Car'das' wrist before withdrawing in possession of the glass. 

"I believe I'll take that drink, actually," Karrde said faintly. And possibly several more after. 

"Only a fool would trust Palpatine with their survival," Thrawn was saying. It was rather later, and Karrde had drunk enough for his curiosity to almost overcome his dread. "When Jorj's health became an issue and he committed his act of sabotage—"

"What sabotage?" Shada was quick to ask, admirably fearless.

Thrawn paused, turning to look at Karrde—rather as though he had a hard time believing anyone could be so thick-witted. "Did you really never guess?"

"Don't you have faith in my ability to keep secrets?" Car'das asked mildly. A teasing little smile played across his lips. 

"It's a challenge on such a large scale, especially in an organisation of that nature."

"I seem to be missing something," Karrde said, trying to ignore the obvious subtext of that little by-play.

"Evidently," Thrawn agreed. 

Car'das gave him a look. 

"What sabotage?" Shada repeated. "You said you just left."

"Leaving _was_ an act of sabotage," Car'das explained. "I started acting as the underside of Palpatine's intelligence machine while he was still a senator, not that _I_ was completely aware of all the details at the time."

Karrde wheezed around his last swallow of lum. _That_ changed the complexion of a number of things. "I wasn't aware your involvement with the Imperials was so extensive. That could very well explain…hm." 

Thrawn inclined his head. "At that time, I judged it prudent to activate certain contingencies and withdraw myself as well, given Palpatine was well aware of our long-standing association."

Karrde was momentarily diverted. "Exactly how long-standing? If you don't mind my asking."

Was that _amusement_ tugging at the corners of Thrawn's lips? Oh, wonderful. 

"Ultimately, it was the same incident that brought us both to Palpatine's attention in the years before your Clone Wars. The details aren't pertinent at the moment, but when I arrived in this part of the galaxy, I was gratified to find Jorj still remembered me." 

Thrawn and Car'das exchanged another of those looks. It wasn't that Karrde had any trouble recognising them for what they were; but the idea of either Car'das or Thrawn pursuing any kind of romantic relationship, let alone with one another, made him wish _he'd_ never come back out of retirement. Mara was practical. Let _her_ cope with this headache.

At least Thrawn seemed to find his crogglement entertaining, so there was that. Karrde took another drink and tried desperately to think how he'd _explain_ all this when he got back. 

Karrde was more hungover than he usually allowed when they departed the following morning. In a surreal scene, Car'das and Thrawn saw them off like proper hosts. 

Car'das smiled sympathetically as he shook Karrde's hand. "Don't fret too much, Talon. Between us, we've had more than enough experience with galactic politics; you're welcome to it. We're quite content to be retired. In fact, it's a condition of our studies." 

"We do still keep an eye on current events, however," Thrawn added. "If you should need a hand dealing with anything that arises, you know where to find us."

That couldn't have been a coincidence. Karrde had _had_ to ask about the Hand of Thrawn, as unlikely as it was either of them would give a straight answer, but predictably received only vague reassurances that whatever or whoever it was would be no threat. And now this. At least the hangover covered the sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. He'd have to hope that Mara and Luke had found something and survived to return with the information.


End file.
